There are still a few openings for the two-day Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL), to be held October 30-31, 2017 on the University of Texas at Arlington campus.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can use data to tell your library’s story, about assessing the needs of your community, and about evaluating your programs and services, then RIPL Regional is for you.

Wondering what others have said about their experience with RIPL? Here what some attendees have said:

“The topics covered were extremely relevant and timely for my needs as a public library administrator. I loved the combination of big picture planning, identifying community needs, and measuring outcomes in addition to very specific tasks like creating surveys and infographics.”

“I have always believed in the importance of everything covered during RIPL but now I have a practical and scalable framework to use for implementing all these best practices in a small library.”

The registration fee for RIPL Regional is $150, and you are responsible for your travel expenses. We have a hotel block at reduced rates.

Nominate your favorite organization that contributes to literacy? It is a VERY easy and simple form. Due Sept. 1

The winning organization will receive a $1,000 cash award to assist in its future work promoting reading and combating illiteracy. This year, a honorable mention recipient will receive $500.

We have made it easy for you to share, here is some language (and links below):

“The Texas Center for the Book is seeking applicants for the 2017 Texas Center for the Book Literacy Award. The award honors qualified non-profit organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to increasing literacy with a $1,000 cash prize to assist in promoting reading and combating illiteracy. This year, an honorable mention recipient will also receive a $500 award. The nomination period for the 2017 Literacy Award is open from May 22- September 1, 2017 and the winner will be will be announced during the 2nd Annual Texas Author Summit kicking off the Texas Book Festival on Nov. 2, 2017”

Our weekly listing of free training online and free Texas workshops is updated as new events are added – throughout the week! See what’s happening on the CE calendar. Confirm the date and time when you register, or follow links for archive information. Events listed in Central Time.

Tuesday August 15, 2017Veterans by the Numbers – Searching the Census (Utah State Library)
Learn how to access to the most up-to-date demographic, socioeconomic, housing, and business statistics about our Veterans from the American Community Survey and the Survey of Business Owners using a variety of data tools available online.Time: 11-12:00 p.m.

Helping Participants Raise More through Storytelling (blackbaud)
You have a great recruitment and coaching plan for peer-to-peer fundraisers. But are you doing everything you can to help them tell your story? How can you empower them to communicate your impact and improve donation asks? In this webinar, we’ll share lots of real-life examples and discuss techniques that successful organizations use to create mission ambassadors and super-fundraisers. This webinar digs deep into the methods of messaging in order to provide content your fundraisers will actually use.Time: 12-1:00 p.m.

Intelligent Outcomes: Learning From Both Success and Failure (Sirsi/Dynix)
Is the risk of failure deterring your drive to try new ideas at your library? Whether your efforts thrive or nosedive, there is much to be gained in the effort. Join Library Director Dustin Fife to learn how you can make your library a safe place to fail forward. In this webinar, Dustin will talk about the formulas for giving new ideas a go, and gaining from the results, regardless of the outcome.Time: 12-1:00 p.m.

Re-Energize your Volunteer Program by Designing Mission-Driven Opportunities (VolunteerMatch)
Too often libraries look at volunteer engagement as something that’s nice to have, and never realize the true potential of volunteers. But, our organizations become more successful, responsive, and effective when we look at volunteers as a key component to our library’s success. In this session we’ll discuss creating a connection between the work volunteers do and your library’s mission. You’ll learn how to design volunteer opportunities with real impact, and how to tell the story of that impact both within your organization and to your community. Attendees will leave with sample mission-driven position descriptions and a worksheet to help craft their library’s story of volunteer engagement.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Making Sense of Numbers: Understanding Risks and Benefits and Learning How to Communicate Health Statistics (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
Numeracy literacy is not only a problem for individuals receiving health information but also for those providing information that contain numbers. This class is a basic introduction for anyone who wants to understand how to communicate health information that involves numeracy. The purpose of this class is to understand risk and benefits from a layman’s perspective and to understand that the communication of numbers must be clear and easy to understand.Time: 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Twitter 101: Why You Need to Tweet to Build a Personal Learning Network(AASL)
Learn why Twitter is a must for being a connected librarian, building a Personal Learning Network, keeping current with the world, and school library advocacy. Also learn how to get up and running on Twitter easily and start taking the best advantage of it immediately. The webinar will include advice on effective account settings, what to tweet, how to read through tweets, how to select good accounts to follow, how to engage in conversations, and more.Time: 6-7:00 p.m.

Libraries as Community Catalysts Virtual Conference(Colorado State Library)
The Colorado State Library has partnered with the state libraries in Georgia, Iowa, and Maryland to offer the first-ever multi-state library virtual conference on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 from 9 am to 3 pm MDT on the topic of Community Building. We will explore how libraries are working in their communities to bring about positive change around a shared vision or goal.We have an amazing lineup of sessions for the day, featuring great presenters! The conference is be free, open to all Colorado library staff, and you can join any time during the day.Time: 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.

Wednesday August 16, 2017Creating a Culture of Learning in the Modern Workplace (Training Magazine Network)
Are you creating a learning culture for your employees? We’re working in environments today where change is no longer an event but a constantly occurring process. In order for businesses to maintain a competitive advantage, it’s vital for their employees to be continually improving and learning. You may have some good ideas about what it takes to implement a culture of learning, but how’s your strategy? Do you have the tools and resources necessary to build a solid foundation for your learning culture? What’s your communication plan? How will you measure success and failure? In this webinar, CEO of BizLibrary, Dean Pichee will talk about what an engaged learning culture looks like, what types of strategies to implement to turn your ideas into a reality, how to make sure your training really sticks and how to manage the change that will inevitably occur as you implement a culture of learning.Time: 11-12:00 p.m.

People – Difficult or Different? (Effectiveness Institute)
Why are some clients or co-workers so frustrating to work with? Or more importantly, why would anyone think of YOU as a difficult person?In this highly interactive and engaging presentation, you will discover why “different” does not have to mean “difficult.” Then you will learn the magic of making slight adjustments in your awareness and behavior that will have a significant impact on your ability to “click” with customers and co-workers.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Calling BS in the Age of Big Data (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
Our digital worlds are inundated with misinformation, data manipulations and outright lies. In this talk, we will look at common pitfalls specifically around information visualization. We will examine different ways that information can be misrepresented with figures and graphs.Time: 2-3:00 p.m.

Building Curriculum with Colleagues: Where the Library and Classroom Learning Connect(edWeb.net)
In this edWebinar, Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair, New Canaan High School, CT, will share strategies for using this time to build instructional partnerships that will last throughout the year and beyond. Digital backpacks, integration with Google, Mackin Groups, Learning Management Systems, Library Management Systems, and curation will be addressed. All librarians are invited to attend this live, interactive session.Time: 4-5:00 p.m.

Thursday August 17, 2017Bring Your Own Device Policies(Idealware)
Part 2 of Establishing Tech Policies to Protect Your Nonprofit. If you don’t have written policies—and regular training to ensure that people understand those policies—your organization may be facing bigger risks than you think. This course will walk you through the questions you should consider as you develop policies to protect your nonprofit.Time: 12-1:30 p.m.

Brain-Based Learning Principles for Maximum Retention in the Virtual Classroom(Training Industry)
Without some kind of reinforcement, people forget 90% of what they’ve learned in the classroom within one week! In this engaging webinar we’ll explore six brain-based principles that result in maximum learning retention, transfer, and application. Brain researchers know that the challenge of moving information from short-term to long-term memory requires us to encode, store, and retrieve it repeatedly.Time: 12-1:00 p.m.

How to Get Tech Donations: A Special TechSoup Tour(TechSoup)
Find out about how your organization can access TechSoup’s wide variety of product donation programs. We’ll show you how to access our many learning resources to help you optimize technology for your organization. During this tour and Q&A session, we will highlight the ways you can make the most of the donation and discount programs for hardware, software, cloud applications, and services available to eligible organizations.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

National Archives History Hub(U.S. National Archives)
Alex Champion introduces History Hub, a crowdsourcing platform for American history. Learn about this support community managed by the National Archives for researchers, citizen historians, archival professionals, and open government advocates.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

PLAYful Musical Environments That Foster Learning: Listening, Making, and Moving to Music in Early Education Settings(Early Childhood Investigations)
Music holds an exceptionally fascinating place in our development as human beings. Music is a part of EVERY culture no matter how remote. Children unlock their music potential best with playful and structured guidance of an early childhood music specialist, but because most early learning programs don’t have music specialists, child learning centers can easily borrow techniques from Master Music Educators. We know the research: The first months of life through the early school age years are a period of exceptionally malleable neural growth. It is important to include music development during these stages.Time: 1-2:30 p.m.

More Than #MotivationMonday: Motivating Your Team Any Day of the Week(WebJunction)
Employees motivated to deliver top notch service are key to a library’s success. But many in library organizations don’t know how to effectively instigate employee motivation. As a critical management and leadership skill, it’s important to know what motivation is and isn’t, what works and what doesn’t. In this session, we’ll explore factors that influence motivation at work and review strategies for supervisors to keep their teams motivated and productive. No matter the size of your library or your role, you will be inspired to find your own motivation and be able to catalyze others!Time: 2-3:00 p.m.

Girls in STEM: Creating a New Era(edWeb.net)
This edWebinar will be presented by two high school students with a strong interest in pursuing careers in the STEM fields, dedicated to getting more girls to participate in STEM.Time: 3-4:00 p.m.

Friday August 18, 2017EBSCO’s MasterFile Premier (Wyoming State Library)
Check out this database for all your basic research needs. Designed specifically for public libraries, this database provides full-text magazines (such as Advertising Age and MacWorld, Parents and Ranger Rick, Yachting and Runner’s World), reference books and primary source documents. It also includes an extensive image collection containing photos, maps and flags.Time: 12:15-1:00 p.m.

Jennifer Peters has been appointed Director of the Library Development and Networking Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Peters will assume her position as division director upon the retirement of Deborah Littrell on September 1. Peters is an experienced innovator who has worked on increasing the capacity of libraries to meet public needs and to be at the center of engagement, learning, and opportunity.

Peters has served for three years as the Community Engagement Program Administrator at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and was previously the Executive Director of the Texas Association of Partners in Education. Her skills working with stakeholders, positioning libraries for evolving opportunities, and navigating the complex slate of state resources and requirements position her to administer one of the most visible and vital state operations for libraries. The Library and Networking Development Division includes librarians and information specialists who support the work of Texas public, K-12 and college and university libraries. “I look forward to working alongside an exceptional team of librarians and technology experts to continue the agency’s commitment to fostering the most robust and responsive library service in the country,” said Peters.

State Librarian Mark Smith said, “As people demand more services from their libraries, including access to technology, hands-on learning experiences, expertise in determining reliable information sources, quality digital and print resources, and diverse educational programs, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission is focused on supporting these efforts. Jennifer Peters brings a wealth of experience and talent to this critical work.”

Our presenter, Sharon Strover, Professor of Communication and Director, Technology & Information Policy Institute, UT Austin, will discuss various aspects of mobile hotspot device lending programs at libraries in metro (New York City) and rural areas (Kansas and Maine). She will cover some of the practical issues of lending WiFi hotspot devices, the challenges they can present, and what access may mean to targeted communities. Sharon is in the middle of IMLS-granted funded research on 24 rural libraries also loaning these devices and her team is also behind the very helpful “How To Hotspot Guide” for Libraries.

We hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, September 13th at 2pm for this great webinar! Register now!

The Texas State Library is currently collecting Internet speeds from all Texas public libraries (both mains and branches) with an online speed test. The test measures a library location’s Internet speed (how fast things load from the Internet) and automatically sends that data to us at the State Library. The data will be invaluable in our planning and help us determine any statewide needs for broadband.

Email invitations with the link were sent out yesterday to all directors. Please submit your test results by Friday, August 18th. If you didn’t receive the invitation, please contact Henry Stokes, 512-463-6624 or hstokes@tsl.texas.gov

Many thanks to those speedy libraries who’ve already participated this year!

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Update: Some folks are reporting that the “Begin Test” button isn’t appearing on the second page – Sorry! This may because Adobe Flash has not been enabled on the browser being used for the test. To enable Adobe Flash for the browser, please use the instructions found on this site. If you have further issues, please contact Henry Stokes, 512-463-6624 or hstokes@tsl.texas.gov.

As part of our effort to make sure you know who the staff here at the Texas State Library are, we would like to periodically highlight staff members that you may at some point come in contact with! For our inaugural staff highlight, I interviewed Katherine Adelberg, Manager of Continuing Education and Consulting (CEC). Katherine leads our CEC team, and was recently awarded the Employee of the Quarter award here at the Texas State Library!

What are your job responsibilities in CEC?

I coordinate our online and in-person training and learning for public and academic librarians. I manage an amazing team of Consultants that provide statewide service and expertise in technology, E-rate, management issues, and many other topics. I also work with our Administrative Assistant to provide access to a free professional library of librarian-themed books, the Library Science Collection.

What project have you been the most proud of during your time at TSLAC?

A recent thing I’m proud of is bringing a teen services workshop to Texas in response to requests by librarians around the state. More details on that soon!

What was the last book your read/movie you watched/podcast or song you listened to that you enjoyed?

I love listening to podcasts while driving. I had to drive up to Dallas recently, and I spent the time listening to Crimetown, a podcast about the mob’s influence in Providence, Rhode Island. It was quite a saga with a big cast of characters and great storytelling. It definitely helped the miles fly by on the long drive up and back.

What is something about you that people don’t know?

Libraries are my second career; in my first career, I played clarinet in the Louisville Orchestra in my hometown of Louisville, KY.

Our weekly listing of free training online and free Texas workshops is updated as new events are added – throughout the week! See what’s happening on the CE calendar. Confirm the date and time when you register, or follow links for archive information. Events listed in Central Time.

Tuesday August 8, 20175 Secrets of Email Marketing Geniuses (Firespring)
There is more power and leverage in one email subscriber than 100 Facebook likes or 50 Twitter followers if email marketing is done right. Problem is, 9 out of 10 nonprofits don’t do it right. In this educational session, we will share the secrets of email marketing geniuses.Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Engagement Is the New Acquisition: Pathways for Action(Nonprofit Hub)
In this session, you’ll learn why acquisition has evolved into engagement and how that shift can benefit your organization and brand. You will also walk away with new ideas for increasing opens, clicks, shares and actions leading to more supporters, advocates and volunteers.Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Language: Your Most Important and Least Valued Asset(Digital Gov)
The experiences we make for our users are made of language choices. We also depend on language to collaborate with the people we work with. Yet language is most often only tended to when you talk about things like content and copy.Controlling your vocabulary is one of the murkiest messes you can take on, but it also might be one of the most impactful ways you could impact your organization’s ability to reach its goals.In this online event, we ask information architect Abby Covert to share some strategies and tactics that could help us to pay closer attention to language choices we make.Time: 11-12:00 p.m.

Your Community by the Numbers: Race, Ethnicity, Ancestry, and Foreign Born…(Utah State Library)
Learn about how to access Census and American Community Survey data about race, ethnicity, foreign-born and ancestry groups using a variety of online tools available at census.gov. During this training you will learn about what how the Census Bureau collects and publishes data on these topics, as well how to access and download tables, and creates maps.Time: 11-12:00 p.m.

Online Storytelling: Big Impact. Small Budget.(GuideStar)
Standing out from the crowd with visual storytelling is critical when trying to connect with donors. Join Facebook, GuideStar, and Best Friends Animal Society to learn how.Time: 12-1:00 p.m.

Realities of Virtual Collaboration(Insync)
This session will review some of the current virtual collaboration tools available and suggest ways of using each most efficiently. We’ll also talk about how and when you can incorporate a more personal touch to your communications across the virtual landscape.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Managing Difficult Volunteer Transitions(VolunteerMatch)
What do you do when it’s time to ask a volunteer to leave your organization? This webinar will give you the tools to address challenges around difficult volunteers, volunteers aging in place, and suggestions to minimize these situations in the future. Suggestions for determining when a volunteer should be terminated, and making it easier on you, other volunteers, and staff will be presented. The role that risk management plays in these decisions will also be included.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

DorobekInsider Live- The Realities of IoT(GovLoop)
Join Christopher Dorobek and his panel of experts on Wednesday, August 9 at 2pm ET as they discuss the top IoT innovations and challenges that governments are facing.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Introduction to Project Budgets(Grantspace)
Are you ready to start fundraising for your project or idea, but don’t know what and how much to ask for? If preparing a budget for your foundation grant is holding you back, this class will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to generate a standard project budget for a foundation proposal.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Let’s Talk: Librarians & Agricultural Law(Federal Depository Library Program)
The Agricultural Law Information Partnership is a collaboration between the National Agricultural Library (NAL), National Agricultural Law Center (NALC), and the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) at Vermont Law School. Participants will:Learn about basic sources for agricultural law research; identify innovative legal tools supporting the new food movement; Review information on National Gleaning, Healthy Food Policy, and Farmland Access Legal Projects.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Teaching Young Gifted Children: The Whats, Whys, and How-Tos for Supporting Their Needs(Early Childhood Investigations)
Whether you work in a preschool program, childcare center, kindergarten, or primary-grade classroom, you have gifted children in your group right along with children who have a broad range of abilities. Why is it important to recognize and support the needs of young gifted children? What are the best ways to identify these children?If you’ve ever observed characteristics in young children that are beyond their same age peers, and wondered how best to nurture their unique abilities, you don’t want to miss this webinar.Time: 1-2:30 p.m.

Thursday August 10, 2017How to Think Like a Donor in 1 Hour(Bloomerang)
Successful communication isn’t about what you want to say or how you say it. It’s about what your donor wants. Donor’s don’t give to you because you’re great. Donors give because they’re great and you help them realize how great they are. See through your donor’s eyes in this thought provoking workshop loaded with tips for better donor communication, cultivation and discovery.Time: 12-1:00 p.m.

Data User’s Guide to U.S. Census Bureau’s Economic Data(U.S. Census Bureau)
Learn how Economic data is organized by sectors, when and what types of Economic data products are released, and how to access Economic data through the many Census data tools. See Economic data in action through various media promotions.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Bozarthzone! Juggling 101: Managing Multiple Priorities(Insync)
“Time management” is an oxymoron. You can’t change it, or lengthen it, or shorten it, or ‘manage’ it. This course will help you identify ways to deal with the things you can manage: yourself, others, and the tasks with which you’re confronted.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Building a Community of Readers–Driving Student Engagement through Collective Impact(Education Week)
Building communities of readers is everyone’s responsibility–and ensuring that our collective efforts deliver intended results for students, schools, and communities is equally important. Learn how our personalized approach to literacy, based upon cutting-edge technology and results-oriented research, ensures that every learner is engaged and supported in ways that foster and measure their growth.Time: 1-2:00 p.m.

Managing Change at Your Nonprofit Organization(blackbaud)
The nonprofit landscape is changing drastically. There is more competition for funds; government budget cuts are looming; and technology is evolving faster and faster. All of this is causing nonprofit organizations to implement new practices, new ways of thinking, and new technology. While this may sound daunting, it can be a seamless and organic process that sets you up for success. Join Blackbaud’s certified leader in change management, Kevin Stehr, as he walks through the best practices and core principles related to managing change within your organization.Time: 2-3:00 p.m.

]]>https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/librarydevelopments/?feed=rss2&p=219980Registration is Now Open! Power Up At your Library Week October 1-7https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/librarydevelopments/?p=22050
https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/librarydevelopments/?p=22050#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 15:00:19 +0000https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/librarydevelopments/?p=22050

We wanted to take a moment to share the following information from the Texas Library Association’s Powered Libraries website!

Join the Powered Libraries campaign in celebrating Power Up Week October 1-7, 2017, a week where libraries across the state will showcase innovation and dynamic leadership.

Power Up at Your Library Week (Power Up Week), October 1-7, is a time to celebrate libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. Each day during the week, TLA will be supporting local efforts with social media giveaways and videos featuring various libraries around Texas. Choose one or choose all. Customize your participation to fit your library. All types of libraries – academic, public, school, and special – can participate.

Celebrations during Power Up at Your Library Week include:

Pre-game Sunday | October 1
A day for libraries and librarians to share photos or posts about how they are preparing for Power Up Week. Pre-game checklist: schedule social media dispatches, temporarily change Facebook profile photo and Twitter avatars, use the #poweredlibraries hashtag.

Advocacy Monday | October 2
A day for stakeholders, administration, and dignitaries to demonstrate support toward libraries and librarians – e.g. regional and local proclamations, school and campus announcements, posters, etc. Powered Libraries will release an advocacy video spotlight.

Innovative Impact Friday | October 6
A day demonstrating how libraries impact communities (campus, city, neighborhood, school, town) through both subtle and dynamic strategies. (e.g. Bookmobiles, homeless outreach, working with underserved populations, improving literacy, book displays on campus and in schools, etc.) Powered Libraries will release a video spotlighting innovation in the library.

Offline Saturday | October 7
A day showcasing creative programming that doesn’t require much (any) electricity or technology. (e.g. reading to therapy dogs, building with Legos or blocks, bicycle-powered libraries, teaching a dance class, second language lessons, hosting a string quartet/piano/acoustic musicians, etc.)

Check out the Power Up News page to find out about the latest happenings, or follow the campaign through the social media hashtag #poweredlibraries.

Join regional public library leaders for two full days of instruction on October 30-31, 2017, to learn about:

• Designing outcome-based evaluation of programs and services
• Assessing the needs of your community
• Techniques for tracking public library data and using these data for planning, management, and demonstrating the library’s worth
• Using data and stories to document the impact of your library

RIPL Regional is an intensive, two-day regional institute hosted by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in partnership with the Colorado State Library and the Colorado Library Consortium. Participants will leave RIPL Regional with tools for evaluation, con­fidence in building research into their activities, and a network of colleagues for future learning and success.

RIPL Regional will be held on the UT Arlington campus. The registration fee is $150. (Attendees will be invoiced upon acceptance into the Institute.)

The workshop is limited to 50 public library staff from Texas and surrounding states. We anticipate that the Institute will fill up quickly and that we will have a waiting list. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis, but TSLAC reserves the right to ensure representation by geography and library size. Applying Texas libraries must be accredited. Only one staff member per library system should apply.

Participants will receive complimentary breakfast, lunch, and snacks on both days of the Institute, but are financially responsible for all other travel, accommodations, and meals. We have a hotel block reserved at the rate of $109/night. (A link to the reservation site will be included in registration confirmation.)

A small number of Texas public libraries serving populations of 12,000 or less are eligible for a $1,000 travel stipend to cover registration fee, hotel, and other travel expenses from the Tocker Foundation. You can request this stipend on the registration form; there’s no need to contact the Tocker Foundation directly.

Visit the RIPL Regional website to see a sample Institute schedule. The Institute will run from 8:00-5:00 on both days.

Continuing education (CE) credit hours (TBD) will be awarded to participants completing the training. Certificates will be sent to participants after the training.